On the 22nd April 1915 the Territorials of the Northumbrian Division were settling into their billets to the rear of the Ypres Salient. Mobilised in August 1914, they had been training in the north east and had spent the previous week moving to Belgium. They now looked forward to some hard training to prepare them for taking their part in the line. At around 5 pm that evening, the Germans released chlorine gas, opening the 2nd Battle of Ypres. The Northumbrians were hastily deployed into the maelstrom of gas, shelling and German attacks as they fought to stem the German attempts to breakthrough.
The Brooding Soldier monument was erected to the Canadians who gallantly held against the German gas.
It was near here the Durham Light Infantry and York and Durham Brigades reinforced units in struggle to hold the line. To the south of the monument is St Julian. It was here that the Northumberland Brigade was the first Territorial formation to fight as a formed Brigade.
